Q: After sending a manuscript withdrawal request, how long I should wait before sending my manuscript to another journal?

Detailed Question -

I have submitted a manuscript to a journal about four months back. The current status of my paper is still "Awaiting assignment", and for the editor part it says "Non Assigned".

I have emailed the journal many times in the last two months regarding the status of my manuscript. However, I have not received any reply. So, I sent a withdrawal request of my submission one week ago, also I didn't get any reply. What should I do if I don't receive any reply regarding my withdrawal of my submission? How long I should wait before sending my manuscript to another journal?

1 Answer to this question
Answer:

Thank you for your query! You are very right to place emphasis on officially withdrawing a submission from one journal before sending it for consideration to another, as simultaneous submission to multiple journals is an ethical breach in the publication process.

That said, it is of course not feasible to wait indefinitely for an acknowledgement of the withdrawal as this will delay subsequent submissions. As multiple communications have not received a response, in this case, you may consider a fresh submission to a new journal, but it is of utmost importance that you communicate the fact that you have withdrawn the earlier submission, though you have not received a response. We hope this is helpful. All the best!